Colorado State football putting in time and effort

Defensive line playing a bit of catch-up

Colorado State junior Aaron Davis and the rest of the team's linebackers have been doing everything they can this spring to help an inexperienced defensive line.
(
Steve Stoner
)

FORT COLLINS -- Five practices done and Jim McElwain is still happy with how well things are progressing during Colorado State's spring camp.

His Rams are moving faster, getting in more reps and have even forced the staff's hand at moving forward with some areas of installation a few days ahead of schedule.

Yet there is still one group all will admit needs a little more help, a bit more concern, and that's the defensive line. All the starters are gone from a year ago, even some of the depth. There are three linemen back -- Curtis Wilson, Calvin Tonga and Eli Edwards -- who contributed regularly to the cause in 2012, forcing McElwain to seek help elsewhere. Some tight ends were moved to defense, as was offensive lineman Justin Hansen. Bringing in this year's recruiting class, the Rams went the junior college route at that position..

Terry Jackson and LaRyan King were brought in with the idea they needed to be ready sooner than later, but co-defensive coordinator Marty English says it takes time.

"We've got a long ways to go. It's what you'd think," English said after Monday's practice. "There just haven't been enough practices and enough reps. We were better today. I would have told you Saturday we were horrible, but we were better today at it. I think a lot of it's an attitude, and when they all tune in, we're getting better. It's going to take all 15 practice and probably all fall camp for the most part. They're learning and getting better."

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The guys who need their help most -- the linebackers -- are trying to do their part. For the linebackers to roam and make plays, the three guys up front have to occupy blockers. An experienced group, they're also smart and have done all they can to help get the new guys accustomed to what they need to do and where they need to go.

"I think what we'll have to do is motivate them," senior backer Shaquil Barrett said. "We're going to have to bring the high energy to start it off. If the linebackers aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing and not doing it at a tremendous pace, then everybody else is going to follow suit and have a bad day."

McElwain said the groups that are ahead of pace have done a good job of bringing the defensive line along. The family atmosphere he watched develop last year has helped pave the progress.

As an example, English feels the talking between the two groups has been steady and productive.

"Right now, the communication has been great," he said. "They talk to them. They know they don't know the whole defense. You look out there and after you make a call and they line up, you see them talking to them, like this is where you're going to go, this is what you've got to do. The communication from the linebackers to the D-line has been very good."

Still, English says the key to the formula is time. Tonga and Edwards are much more up to speed having been in the system for a bit, but still not a full year. Jackson and King have the added benefit of being in school in time for spring, an edge Tonga and Edwards missed.

Adding to it is the fact Jackson and King both played on even fronts and were taught to penetrate, plans CSU does not employ. Naturally, breaking habits is as much a part of the process as anything.

As for Hansen, and even mid-year addition Austin Berk out of Grand Junction, they are young and learning it all from scratch. English said Hansen has been a pleasant surprise and that Berk has entered the program with good habits to begin with and has already gained 15 pounds. Youngsters Joe Kawulok and Mitch Frentescu are also learning on the fly.

Whether or not any of them will contribute is up in the air, but English for one is not ruling anything out.

So while the rest of the team is moving forward at an encouraging pace, there will be no rush to judgment up front. English is confident the talent is there, it just needs to be taught.

"It is hard. They're still trying to learn the defense when the other guys already kind of know it, and their speed's faster that the D-line's speed," English said. "They're coming. We're still trying to teach them the techniques we want them to know, let alone the scheme of the defense. That's a little bit harder. We're trying to match the two up right now, but like I said, all spring, all fall camp."

Sidelines -- McElwain once again went to his iPod to make a point with the team. "I talked to our guys today after practice about the Boomtown Rats, the hit song 'I Don't Like Mondays.' We had to generate a little bit of juice today, and as practice moved on, we actually got pretty good. I had to give them a little history lesson at the end of practice about coming out with the mindset we're going to get better from the start." ... Taking care of the ball on offense and creating turnovers on defense are points of interest in camp, and the offense impressed the coach during practice, noting the offense was especially sharp during red-zone drills.